Frequently Asked Questions

LCDT is a non-profit organisation set up to help the village of Lochwinnoch thrive.

We will make this happen by:

  • Community Development: Empower local people and groups to identify needs, improve well-being, and promote social inclusion by supporting collaborative projects and building strong community partnerships.
  • Environment & Sustainability: Enhance and protect our natural environment by promoting biodiversity, tackling climate change, and embedding sustainable practices in everything we do.
  • Community Spaces: Create and improve welcoming spaces that bring people together, encourage participation, and support community inclusion and connection.
  • Culture & Heritage: Celebrate, preserve, and promote the unique culture and heritage of Lochwinnoch, building local pride and a strong sense of identity.
  • Local Economy & Tourism: Encourage economic growth by supporting local businesses, attracting visitors, and developing sustainable revenue streams to ensure the Trust’s and the community’s long-term future.

LCDT works across several projects in and around the village.

See our Projects

A Community Benefit Society (CBS) is a nonprofit business model that enables the community to own local assets by raising money from within the community (and beyond). Most important, it is organised on the principle of one member, one vote, which ensures equality among members.

  • Charity Status: We will remain a fully registered Scottish Charity. Our mission and our commitment to Lochwinnoch do not change.
  • Community Investment: A CBS structure allows us to launch “Community Share Offers,” giving you the chance to invest in and own local assets directly.
  • Asset Protection: It provides a stronger legal “Asset Lock,” ensuring our land and buildings are protected for the village forever.
  • Funding Opportunities: They open doors to grants and loans designed exclusively for community-owned societies.

More information about Community Benefit Societies is available on the Development Trust Association Scotland (DTAS) website: democraticfinance.scot/support-overview   

No, LCDT is a non-profit Community Benefit Society, which was originally formed as Lochwinnoch Community Development Company in 2013. Then, in 2018, it changed from a Company to a Trust to broaden its remit and is now a member of the Development Trusts Association of Scotland (DTAS). LCDT has also received Charitable status (SC053157). The organisation currently has six directors (unpaid volunteers) and over 300 members.

LCDT supports, initiates, and manages a variety of projects (raising funding as required) for the overall benefit of the community.

On the contrary, the Lochwinnoch Community Council is a voluntary body that exists within a statutory framework. They can complement the role of the local authority but are not part of local government. A key purpose is to ascertain, coordinate, and express the views of the local community to public authorities in relation to their designated areas of responsibility, and to act in the interests of the local community.


Anyone can become a member of LCDT- Lochwinnoch and beyond!

‘Ordinary membership’ is open to anyone living within Lochwinnoch. Anyone living outside the area can join too as an ‘Associate member’. There is even a section for junior members, aged 12 to 16.

If you are interested in supporting our activities or simply adding your voice to provide feedback on what we are doing, we would love to hear from you.

Become a Member

You can choose your own level of involvement. You could take part in our community consultations and surveys to help shape a project. Volunteer assisting on one of our projects. You could be a member of a steering group to help direct a project. You could even become a director to contribute your specific skill set to help manage the Trust’s overall operations. In short, the amount of time and commitment is entirely up to you!

A steering group is a small band of volunteers who want to help LCDT from an early stage in initiating, planning, and managing a specific project. It may be that a person has an interest, specific skill, or knowledge to contribute to the project. Some members of the group may be extremely active, taking on various tasks, whilst others may attend in an advisory capacity.

The team works together, each taking responsibility for a specific task to spread the workload. There may be a formal structure with assigned roles to keep things organised. An LCDT director is on hand to liaise and provide guidance and direction from the LCTD board, which is ultimately responsible.

To begin with, we raised money through donations for Lochhead Gardens and the Park refurbishment projects. However, since then, the number and size of the projects have increased. As a result, we have concentrated our efforts on grant applications. Renfrewshire Council is also a key funder that supports various community initiatives.

Funding applications can take months to process. For this reason, we also accept online donations and hold fundraisers to raise money needed to support our projects.

Contact us

If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to contact us for more information: info@lochwinnochtrust.org.uk